The winter is over and now is the time to take good care of our ski gear. It is a fact that only the well-maintained ski equipment will serve us for several years. In that way, it will definitely be more comfortable while we ski and it will save us quite a bit of money since, renewing gear can be expensive and not very sustainable.
So, when you put your skis aside for the next few months, don’t just put them somewhere in the garage. Make sure to give your ski gear proper care after the season, so it will be prepared when you meet the snow again.
But how to do that? Continue reading, Ratoong has compiled some tips to increase the life and condition of your ski gear.
How to take care of the skis?
Before the service, make sure your skis are clean and dry. You can wash them with fresh water and then wipe them with a cloth and leave them in the sun for a bit to dry. Then start with the service.
Here you have two options. You can do the entire service right away after the ski season is over. That means repairing the sliding surface, sanding the edges, and impregnating. Or you can just remove the rust from the edges and cover the sliding surface and the edges with a thick layer of wax. When the wax has cooled, put the skis together and leave the skis like this over the summer. The thick layer of wax will prevent the sliding base from drying up. Just before the start of the new winter season, remove the wax and perform the entire service. Maybe the second option is even better as the skis are going to be freshly prepared to give you the best experience on the snow.
You can do the service by yourself at home, but for that, you must have the appropriate equipment, the right tools, suitable space and of course the knowledge of how to do it. That is why most of the skiers leave this job to be done by professionals.
However, make sure that after taking care of the skis, you will store them properly as well. For the next few months, you should maintain your skis in a dry place, where there is not too much fluctuation in air temperature. The humidity can damage the edges and bindings of the skis and the too high-temperature difference can bend the sliding base. This is equally important for both winter storage as for seasonal summer storage. Always keep your skis at a normal temperature and in a dry and dark place. Also, it is good to leave them in a natural position, not strapped together with bands.
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What to do with the bindings?
It is recommended to wash the bindings with fresh water and clean the dirt and dust. Then we can decide if the bindings should be released or not. Some brands warmly recommend that we do not touch their bindings, however, it makes sense to release them to increase their durability.
If you decide to release the bindings, don’t forget to write down the values of the settings on the toes and heel and then release them to the minimum value. It should also be emphasized that after the arrival of winter, you must not forget to re-tighten them to their original settings (even though it does depend on your weight). It is best to check the bindings at a sports equipment store before the ski season.
Don’t forget about your ski boots!
As you did with your skis, the ski boots also have to be dry before you store them after your last day of skiing. The best way to dry the ski boots is to take the inner shoe out from the shell and leave it in a dry place for a day or two. After that, you put the inner shoe back in the shell and make sure you close the buckles. This way, the ski boot holds its shape and form. If you don’t do that, the plastic can deform during storage time. Once the plastic is deformed, it is very hard to put it back to its previous state, so it can cause a lot of problems to wear those ski boots again.
What about the rest of the ski equipment?
When you storage the helmet and goggles, again put them in a cool, dry and dark place away from heat sources, high humidity frost or other possible causes of damage. Avoid leaving the googles on the helmet as it causes the deformation of plastic. When you are cleaning, use fresh water and mild soap only. Allow the goggle and helmet to air dry before storing for longer time. Avoid direct heat or hot surfaces.
You can clean your ski gloves with a wet cloth, keep in mind that washing them in the washing machine is really not recommended. Let them dry naturally, don’t use a tumble dryer. Never store them still wet or damped. If there is leather material on your gloves it is highly recommended to apply a leather-care product to them. This prevents the leather from drying out and cracking.
Hopefully, we gave you some useful information about how to keep your ski gear in a good shape during storage time, so you will enjoy shredding next winter. Did find this information useful? If you did and you like what we do, don’t forget to subscribe to our newsletter and you will be updated with the latest guides and stories shared by Ratoong!
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